The present invention relates in general to a frame for a door panel and, more particularly, to hardware for framing door panels in the assembly of sliding doors, although it will be understood that other applications are possible.
Panel frame hardware heretofore employed has been of the type wherein a rectangular panel frame includes vertical stiles and horizontal rails of different cross sectional configuration and connectors in the corners of the frame which secure the respective stiles and rails. Hardware as disclosed in the patent to Brydolf U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,173, is typical of the prior art designs, and shows stiles and rails having front channels facing inwardly and adapted to receive panel edges therein. A rear flange of the rail is provided with lugs which secure the rail to the corner connector, and a rear flange of the stile is provided with a hole to secure said stile to the corner connector by means of the sheet metal screw. In a second Brydolf et al patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,129, dissimilar stiles and rails are secured by striking or deforming portions of the rails into suitable holes formed in the corner connector. U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,426 to Kellems shows a similar panel frame arrangement with projections and spring detents on the connectors which cooperate with preformed openings in the rail and stile member to secure the frame section corner joints.
These prior art assemblies each employ different securing means for the abutting stiles and rails, and the stiles and rails themselves are of different individual cross-sectional design. As the connectors are asymmetric and mirror images of each other, the connectors at adjacent corners of the frame are not interchangeable. Thus the construction of a complete frame requires two "left hand" and two "right hand" connectors. Also, as the cross-section of the stile and rail are different, each part must be tooled and fabricated in separate manufacturing operations, and care must be taken to properly package the correct member of "right handed" and "left handed" connectors.
During the aforementioned operations, the stiles and rails are provided with notches or apertures to accept snap-in type connectors. As these notches or apertures determine the placement of the corner connector and thus the size of the door, the prior art connectors have required the manufacturing and stocking of many pre-determined lengths of stiles and rails to meet the need for different door sizes. Even though the installer could carry different factory pre-sized hardware, the need for custom-sized hardware could not be met.
In addition, prior art connectors often are inadequate due to their "snap fit" type of engagement where tightness depends upon tolerances. If proper tolerances are not met, the corner fit will have considerable movement and instability in the joint, or alternately, it might be impossible to attain assembly.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art connectors and joints and presents other novel features not heretofore considered. Briefly, the present joint provides for rails and stiles having an identical cross section which yields not only additional strength, but also avoids the duplication of tooling and fabrication necessary to produce stiles and rails of differing design. Further, the present connector, in cooperation with these stiles and rails, is symmetrical about its vertical axis, which allows the four corners of the panel frame to be secured by identical connectors and eliminating the need for the manufacturing of mirror image hardware, viz., right and left handed connectors.
As hereinafter described, the panel hardware of the present invention does not coact with preformed apertures or notches in the frames. Thus, the installer can easily shorten the length of a stile or rail to adapt the dimensions of the frame to fit any door size, as well as accommodate tolerance variations that may be encountered. In addition, as the corners are connected by clamp sections using threaded fasteners rather than a "snap fit" type of engagement, the present invention yields a joint of superior strength, stability, and durability.
The foregoing advantages, together with other advantages, features and results thereof may be attained with the preferred embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: